Laundry machine



p 1946 w. J. ASHER 2,407,125 LAUNDRY MACHINE 1 Filed March 21, 1945 fiazzmwame Patented Sept. 3, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LAUNDRY MACHINE William J. Asher, Colorado Springs, 6610'.

Application March 21, 1945, Serial N0. 583,928

(or. 223"521) i 10 Claims. 1

This invention relates to pressing machines, and i more particularly to bucks for such machines used for pressing collars, either the separate type or those attached to shirts.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved collar pressing buck capable of so shaping the collar that its fit, appearance and tie accommodating characteristics are materially improved.

More particularly it is an object of the invention to provide a buck and corresponding pressing surface for pressing mens collars which is capable of imparting to the collar, before turning. such a shape that in its finished form the neck-band and outer portions are separated by a greater amount, especially at the back, than is provided by the usual pressing service, whereby space is provided for convenient sliding of the necktie.

It is an important feature of the invention to provide a buck having a collar-engaging surface shaped so as to provide relative contraction in length to the neckband portion of thecollar in respect to the outer fold thereof, whereby when the collar is turned and bent into its circular form the neckband is of smaller diameter and circumference than the visible fold providing thedcsired tie space.

Other and further features and objects of the invention will be more apparent to those skilled in the art upon a consideration of the accompanying drawing and following specification wherein disclosed a single exemplary embodiment of the invention, with the understanding that certain changes in form, materials, construction and use may be made as fall within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In said drawing:

Fig. l is a plan View of a collar buck constructed in accordance with my invention shown with a collar attached shirt having its collar in position thereon for pressing;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the buck shown positioned beneath a pressing head;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. i is a central transverse vertical section taken on line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a View of a collar after pressing on the buck of the present invention shown superimposed on a collar pressed flat in the usual manner.

Mens collars as now laundered and pressed are a source of continual annoyance. in the stiffiy starched collars the neckband portion always seems to be of too great a length in respect to the outer or visible foldso that when the tie is tightened thereis a buckling of the neckband into substantially vertical ridges which are both uncomfortable and unsightly. If the collar is of the detached type and is starched to that degree referred to as s-tiff, the tendency to buckle is not so prevalent, but in bending the collar. in the sc -called turning or folding operation the substantially identical lengths of the neckband and. outer fold are such that these are pulled into almost direct contact, particularly at the back. This makes it extremely difiicult not only to introduce a necktiebut, after the collar is buttoned and the tie partially tied, great resistance is offered to sliding the tie lengthwise between the folds of the collar and adjusting it. Sometimes it is almost impossible and occasionally ties are torn in attempting to slide them.

The present invention provides a buck for use on a steam heated pressing machine which is capable of automatically shaping the two folds of the collar so that in the turning operation space is provided between them for reception of the necktie. At the same time the collar is so shaped as to provide additional comfort and improved fit and appearance.

The more progressive laundriesv no longer iron collars, shirts and similar garments by hand, but press them on machines quite similar to those used for pressing suits. Such machines normally include a lower and usually stationary table pr-- vided with suitable resilient padding and a fabric cover on which the garment to be pressed is spread. In the usual parlance of the industry this is referred to as a buck. Bucks of various shapes are used to provide for shaping parts of suit coats, etc., but in the pressing of collars such bucks are customarily substantially flat so that the collar is pressed with both folds in the same plane and as nearly flat as possible on the soft resilient surface.- ,To dry and finish the collar on the buck and to provide the pressure and heat, a metal. pressing element-is movably supported for cooperation with the buck and superimposed col-- lar. It is usually steam heated and its smooth undersurface is shaped complementary to the upper buck surface. The present device is independent of the arrangement for heating, providing steam and the like and relates particularly to the surface configuration of the buck for forming the collar to the desired shape. Naturally the pressing surface is shaped as acomplement to that 3 of the buck, taking into account the padding applied to the latter.

In the following description the buck alone is described as to shape and configuration, it being understood that appropriate padding and covering cloths are arranged thereon and that the pressing head is appropriately shaped to cooperate with the same.

The buck may be formed of any material, but as shown in the figures is a simple block of wood It), Whose upper or work engaging surface is shaped in accordance with the present invention to impart the desired configuration to the collar. As seen in plan, the buck is somewhat longer than the collar l2 shown positioned thereon, and is considerably wider than the maximum width of the collar to accommodate the long points of some collars and the greater width in accordance with the height of the finished article. This ex-' tra size eliminates the need for exactness in placing the collar on the buck.

Roughly the top surface of the buck may be likened to that of a low-pitched gable roof in that the lower portions or ends 14 are defined by inclined planes whose projections would intersect with the horizontal plane in parallel lines IS. The front and rear surfaces of the buck are preferably vertical planes, although this is not essential. This arrangement is assumed, however, for convenience in defining the work surface shape. The inclined planes l4 intersect the back face 16 to form straight lines l8 which merge into the slightly rounded apex at IS The front face 20 of the buck intersects the inclined planes l4 in straight lines as far as the points of infiec tion or tangency 22. Between these points a low flat are 24 defines the intersection of the top surface of the buck with the front face 29. The surface 26 between this arc 24 and the apex i9 is warped or curved so that it is defined by the elements 25, indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, which are substantially straight lines. However, sections lying in vertical planes parallel to the lines 15 are curved or sweeping arcs. The intersections of the curved area 26 with the plane areas M are not sharp, harsh lines but are well rounded and faired, as seen at 21.

In Fig. 2, at 30, is schematically shown the cooperating pressing element which may be heated by steam entering and leaving by hoses 3|.

The several sectional views illustrate clearly the changes in shape of the buck surface as the sides rise to the apex. In Fig. 3 the top surface is shown plane and horizontal, in the transverse sense, at M, while in Fig. 4 the top surface at the center is shown to be a straight incline 28 with only a semblance of rounding at iii to eliminate any harsh lines. Any sections between the points of inflection 22 and the center section will appear somewhat as in Fig. where a portion of the top still is horizontal, in the transverse sense, as at M, to the junction curve 21 and from there is rounded on a long, sweeping are as seen at 29.

It will be noted that, measured longitudinally along the top surface, the length of the buck from end to end progressively increases from the surface having the curved edge to the surface having the V-shaped edge. The collar is placed on the buck substantially as shown, preferably with the right side of the outer fold up, for a surface gloss to be imparted by the smooth metal of the pressing head. This outer fold has its free edge near the V-shaped edge of the buck while the neckband portion has its free edge, or the edge attached to the shirt in the case of an attached collar, closest to the curved edge of the buck.

Collars are made from fiat plies of fabric folded and stitched so that the neckband and outer fold meet on the curved fold line 32, which is usually so shaped that when the collar is folded or turned along this line it assumes a curved or partially cylindrical shape to fit smoothly about the neck. If the two portions of the collar are pressed ontirely fiat on a plane surface the fit is not good, as previously described, when they are turned to form the curved final shape.

The present buck, by having the progressively changing length of top surface is designed to adjust the relative lengths of the neckband and outer fold portions of thecollar, making the latter longer in respect to the former whereby, when the collar is folded, the inner or neckband section is sufilciently shorter, particularly near its inner edge, to be well spaced away from the outer fold, thus giving the desired tie space.

By referring now to Fig. 6, the result of using the buck of the present invention is illustrated in the collar shown in full lines. Here the folding line 32 as well as the lower edge 34 of the neckband portion is given distinct added concavity caused by shortening its length in respect to the main position of the outer fold 35, to which it is attached along this line 32. The dotted line 36 illustrates the result of pressing the identical collar on the usual flat buck or with a hand iron. The lower edge is more nearly straight and the ends or tabs adjacent the buttonholes are sufficiently longer to project out from beneath the superimposed collar, pressed in accordance with the present invention, by approximately the amount illustrated at 31. In addition there is further curvature given to the junction line 32 between the folds of the collar as illustrated in dotted lines. This explains the superior results, obtained by the use of the properly shaped buck, for when the properly pressed collar is turned it conforms better to the shape of the neck and provides more space for receiving the necktie.

I claim:

1. A buck for a collar pressing machine having a collar-engaging surface generally shaped like a low-pitched gable roof, two planes forming a portion of the said surface and substantially intersecting near one edge of the buck, the remainder of said surface comprising a generally conical segment having its apex near said intersection and meeting the opposite edge of the buck in an arc below said apex and with its opposite ends in said planes.

2. A buck for a collar-pressing machine having parallel front and rear faces and a padded collar-engaging surface generally shaped like a low-pitched gable roof, and formed by portions of two inclined planes, said planes stopping just short of intersecting near the rear face of the buck only, the portion of the buck surface intermediate said planes being curved outwardly and downwardly progressively from said near intersection and intersecting the front face of the buck in a relatively long are terminating at the adjacent ends of the lines of intersection of said planes with the front face.

3. A buck for a collar-pressing machine having substantially parallel front and rear faces and a collar-engaging surface generally shaped like a low-pitched gable roof, and formed by portions of two inclined planes, said planes approaching intersection in an apex at the rear face of the buck only, the top center portion of the buck surface being curved outwardly and downwardly from said intersection, said curved surface intersecting a vertical plane forming the front face of the buck in an arc terminating at the adjacent ends of the lines of intersection of said Planes with said front face, the apex of the buck surface being rounded at the portion adjacent the rear face.

4. A buck for a collar-pressing machine havin substantially parallel front and rear faces and a collar-engaging surface generally shaped like a low-pitched gable roof, and formed by portions of two inclined planes, said planes substantially intersecting at the rear face of the buck only, the top center portion of the buck surface between said planes being an area curved outwardly and downwardly from said plane intersection and intersecting a vertical plane forming the front face of the buck in an are substantially terminating at the adjacent ends of the lines of intersection of said planes with said front face, the curved area meeting and merging with the two plane surfaces along divergent lines and there being faired into the same on easy curves.

5. A buck for a collar-pressing machine having a padded collar-engaging surface generally shaped to provide a longer surface for engaging the outer fold of the collar than for engaging the neckband portion and including portions of inclined planes substantially intersecting at the rear face of the buck, and being progressively merged into each other along curves of increasing length as they approach the forward face of the buck.

6. A buck for hand or machine ironing of collars of the starched type in open position, said buck comprising a block having an upper or working surface of generally convex shape longitudinally of the collar, said surface being progressively changed in curvature transversely from the portion engaging the free edge of the outer fold of the collar to the portion engaging the lower edge of the neckband whereby the latter is less stretched than the said free edge.

'7. A buck for hand or machine ironing of collars of the starched type in open position, said buck comprising a cloth covered block having an upper or working surface of generally convex shape longitudinally of the collar, said surface being progressively reduced in the extent of convexity transversely from the portion engaging the free edge of the outer fold to the portion engaging the lower edge of the neckband whereby the outer fold of the collar is relatively lengthened in respect to the neckband.

8. A buck for pressing collars in the open form comprising a block of suitable material having a collar-supporting surface including oppositely inclined substantially plane end portions each adapted to position a collar end for substantially one quarter of the collar length, said portions being horizontal in vertical transverse section, and an intermediate convex portion to support the middle section of the collar, said intermediate portion being inclined downwardly from one edge of the buck toward the other in an area generally triangular as viewed from above, said plane and inclined areas merging smoothly whereby to impart an increasing longitudinal curvature to the collar parts as they progress from the free edge of the outer fold.

9. A buck for a collar-pressing machine having a collar-engaging surface generally shaped to provide a longer surface for engagement by the outer fold of a collar than for engagement by the neckband portion thereof, said surface including portions of inclined planes substantially intersecting near one edge of the buck, and merging into each other along curves of progressively increasing length .as they approach the other edge of the buck.

10. A buck for a collar pressing machine having a pressing surface engageable by the neck band and outer fold portions of a flattened out collar, the surface portion engageable by the outer fold being of greater extent lengthwis of the collar than the surface portion engageable by the neck band whereby a progressive reduction in the length of the neck band from its connection with the outer fold to its free edge is effected on pressing the collar.

WILLIAM J. ASHER. 

